Emporia, Kan. --- The Minnesota State softball won its last game on the final day of the Emporia State Classic, an 8-1 win over the Missouri Southern Lions.

With the result, the Mavericks improve to 7-2 on the season while the Lions fall to 5-4.

Mackenzie Ward (4-2) started the game for the Mavericks and earned the win pitching six innings while striking out 15 and allowing only a single run on one hit. Ward's 15 strikeouts is a new season high replacing a 14 strikeout game against the University of Illinois Springfield. Abby Gann (2-2) started for the Lions and took the loss after being pulled early, allowing the two first inning runs.

After sending down the Lions 1-2-3 in the top of the first, the Mavericks were able to score when Sydney Nielsen made it safely home from third on a throwing error to first before Hannah McCarville drilled a double to score Hailey Forshee from second, giving Minnesota State a 2-0 lead.

In the third inning, Forshee snuck a single through the middle which scored Torey Richards from second base. The Lions got on the board with their first hit of the game in the fourth inning which scored a runner from second.

In the sixth inning the Mavericks put the game out of reach with a series of hits as Hannah Hastings brought home two runs with a double before Carly Esselman drilled a single to score two more. With two out, Nielsen hit a double which then scored Kylie Sullivan and gave Minnesota State the 8-1 lead it would finish with.

Nielsen went 2-3 from the plate while earning a walk while Hastings finished 1-3 with a pair of RBI.

The Mavericks return to action Mar. 19, for two of five total games in the Hy-Vee Softball Classic which takes place in St. Joseph, Mo.